Temptation
by A. G. Moria
Summary: Maria was too old to believe in such things as a Shinigami. She didn't believe in them like she did when she was little. But the Death Note ends up landing in her lap anyway. The power to kill someone just by knowing their name and face would drive anyone who got the book to use it. There's just one problem. Maria doesn't want to kill anyone.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, people.**

**I've been itching to make a multi-chapter story lately and I've also been dying to write some Death Note. So here's a first chapter I've been working on lately to kick off a whole story that I've got planned out.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Maria had always been fascinated by Shinigami. She used to read all sorts of books about them and draw pictures of what she thought they looked like when she was younger. She'd spend hours rooting through different websites that were filled with lore about the ancient creatures. Once, when she was seven, she'd even said that if she found one's Death Note, she'd bring it into the house and let the creature loose in her bedroom.

It used to drive her mother crazy the way her child spoke of such a devilish monster!

When Maria went to bed, she used to imagine a Shinigami slipping into her room and standing guard while she slept. Then when she woke up, she knew that she survived the night thanks to the one that watched over her.

Maria loved being scared when she was a little girl.

Of course, that was years ago. Now she was a seventeen year old and had no time for such silly stories about Shinigami. Maria only shook her head whenever she thought about her younger self actually believing that those creatures were real.

They weren't real. People didn't die all of a sudden just because Shinigami wrote the person's name down in their Death Note. What kind of person would believe in such nonsense?

Of course, Maria will find that sometimes not all stories we read as little children were fiction. Sometimes people write down things and make them into books because they're real.

She didn't expect to believe in fairytales when she was seventeen- she wouldn't have believed it herself unless she'd lived it- but what happens, happens. And this story happens to start out in an unexpected place; the bathroom.

* * *

Maria was in the bathroom at her highschool, sitting down on the toilet lid with her pants still on, and listening to her IPod. She'd came in here near the end of French class, feeling a bit sick. Her teacher, Mr. Jones, was great about things having to do with this. He wasn't a man to be fooled around with and knew when a student was faking and when they were being honest. The man took one look at me when I raised my hand up in the air and said that I wasn't feeling so hot, then nodded his head and told me to go to the bathroom.

By the time she'd gotten to the bathroom, she hadn't gotten sick, but she still felt a little queasy, so she stayed on the toilet. She heard the bell ring for the end of class and everybody come rushing out of their classrooms on the way to their next class or lunch.

Maria had wanted to join up with her friends but new Mr. Jones would be angry if he saw her in the schoolyard so soon. The teacher would get absolutely furious if he knew you tricked him and go and yell his head off at you until you were on the verge of tears. So it was better to be safe than sorry.

So, there she was, humming to her song, watching the time and waiting. That was when she heard someone calling her name.

"Maria! Oi, Maria! You in here"!?

She merely shook her head and smirked. It was Eddie Aday, her best friend and a great, big ball of trouble. Eddie used to be what Maria's father called "another hell raiser", and this was true since the boy raised hell wherever he went. He got into fights normally, stole from stores, vandalized property on weeknights and even managed to hotwire a care once and not get caught.

Eddie was feared and looked down upon wherever he went, but never and not by Maria. She'd been his best and one of his only friends since they were one and a half and that was when Eddie moved to Japan from America with his mother and his drunk of a dad. Maria's mother joked about how she was just drawn to his wildness, but Maria just saw him as a great fellow to hang around with. No matter if Eddie had a fierce temper that was not to be reckoned with, but she simply gave him time too cool off before she approached him again.

His reputation hadn't softened over the years either- when he learned how to drive a motorcycle that was the point of no return for him being a true law abiding citizen. It was smart for anyone who he didn't like not to mess with him or any of his few friends. It didn't matter if you were even bigger or older than him either.

"Hey, Eddie," Maria said. "I'm in here". She kicked the door so he'd know which one she was behind.

He walked over and she opened the door. He gave her that special, irritating smirk that he saved just for her when he saw her sitting down with her pants on. "Did you get sick or what"? He asked her.

"No," She said.

"Didja think you were"?

"Heh, maybe," She shrugged. "So did I miss anything actually interesting in class"?

"Nah," He shook his head. "Just the usual shit Mr. Jones gives us".

"Hey, did you remember to do your homework"? Maria questioned.

"It doesn't have to be finished until tomorrow, does it"? He asked, seeming a bit worried. Eddie always forgets about homework but doesn't forget the beating his old man gives him when the teacher calls in about him not doing it.

"The day after tomorrow," She told him.

"Oh," He sighed, relaxing. "Even better than I thought…" He paused for a second and then frowned. "Hey wait," He said. "Today's Thursday. The day after tomorrow is…"

"Got you"! Maria laughed, giving him a punch to the shoulder.

"Oi"! He shouted. "That hurt". He rubbed on his arm but Maria could tell that he wasn't hurt in any way. "Are you coming out or what"? He asked her.

"Hmm, I thought I'd stay in here and admire the view," She said, leaning back on the toilet seat.

"Quit joking," He said. "We're down five to one when I came in to get you. Now we're probably at eight or nine down now. Come on, we need you out there". Eddie was talking about soccer. They'd play a game every lunchtime. Maria's team usually wins but they'd lost a lot of their best players on the team so far this year. Aya Obata broke her leg. Josh Tailor transferred to another school when his family moved. And Raye Yamato has stopped playing soccer in order to spend lunch hanging out with Miu Otoharada, the girl he likes. What a fool!

Maria's their best forward. There are better defenders and midfielders, and Andrew Wood is the best goalkeeper in the whole school. Though, Maria's the only one who can stand up front and score four or five times a day without fail.

"Eh, alright," She said, standing. "I'll save your asses for you. I've scored a hat trick every day this week and it would be a pity to stop now".

They passed the upper classmen- smoking around the sinks like they normally do- and hurried to her locker so that Maria could change into her cleats. She used to have a real great pair but the laces snapped a couple of months ago and the rubber along the sides had started to fall off. The pair she has now was okay, but they weren't the same as the old ones.

The team was down nine to two when they finally managed to get onto the field. It wasn't an actual field, just a long stretch of grass with painted goalposts at either end. Whoever painted them was a real idiot. He put the crossbar too high at the one end and way too low at the other.

"Alright ladies," Maria shouted as she ran onto the field. "Get your asses moving before I kick them across the yard"! A lot of the players either laughed or groaned, but Maria could see her teammates picking up and the opponents getting a bit worried.

She made a great start and scored three goals inside a minute. It looked like they might have come back to draw or win, but the time happened to run out on them. If Maria had arrived earlier they might've been okay, but the bell rang just as she was hitting her stride, so they lost nine to five.

As Maria and Eddie were leaving the field something caught Maria's eye at the very edge of the grass. "Ah, hey you go on without me, Eddie". She said as she started to turn around.

"What"? He asked. "Didja leave something on the field"?

"Yeah," She muttered. "Something like that".

Maria walked over to the fence line that was just a foot away from touching the grass and saw an object that made her heart skip a beat. Quickly, she picked the thing up and opened it up. "Holy shit," She whispered, not believing that this was really happening. "It's-" She began but was cut off when Mr. Jones shouted at her.

"You! Inside now"! He roared.

"Coming, Mr. Jones"! She hollered back at him. Dammit, she'd have to make up her mind later. Whatever this was it would have to wait. Little did she know that this mysterious notebook was about to change her life forever. But for the worse!

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**Until the second chapter, my good people.**


	2. Chapter 2

**This is the continuation from the last chapter and into the second chapter:**

* * *

After lunch, the two friends had Mr. Jones for the second half of their history class. They'd been studying World War 1, and Maria wasn't too thrilled about it. Eddie on the other hand thought it was great. He loved anything having to do with killing and war. He often said he wanted to be a soldier of fortune- one who fights for money- when he grew up, and he meant it!

Then there was Maria who completely forgot about the object that she'd put in her backpack earlier since she didn't want to believe that it was real and in her possession. Maria just hated the thought of taking another person's life. It wasn't like she was afraid of blood or the sounds of bones snapping or popping out of place; it was the fact that she took death very seriously.

Ever since her father…

"Oi," Eddie shouted in her ear. "Maria! You comin' or what"? He was standing against the wall next to the door and waiting for her to come with him to their next class together.

"Oh yeah," She realizes that she had been daydreaming. "Sorry Eddie".

He merely shrugs, "Eh, whatever. Come on, we're gonna be late to math".

They incredibly made it to math just before the bell rang and sat down before the teacher was even in the room. Instead of their usual pain in the ass teacher, the class had a substitute filling in, so that was a clear sign to the students that they could do whatever they wanted to do for an entire hour.

Eddie took this time to start showing off to the other boys and girls in the class. Explaining how he'd popped some dude who tried to steal his bike upside the head and broke his hand. Normally, the teacher who usually taught the class would've never allowed such a story to be told in school.

"_And I'm sure she'd be appalled to see this…"_ Maria shook her head as she saw the substitute gather around Eddie with the rest of the students. _"It'd give her a heart attack-"_ Realization hit her like a bitch.

The field. The object. Her picking up the object. The majority of her childhood coming back to also hit her in the head.

Maria quickly moved to the back of the classroom where no one could see her pulling a black book out from her backpack. Her fingers ran over the eerie words that seemed to be clawed on the front of it: _**Death Note **_

A chill goes down her spine before a strong feeling enters her system. A feeling that makes her reach into her pencil bag and pull out a pen. Before she even knew what she was doing, her hands had opened up the notebook to a random, blank page. The pen almost makes contact with the paper before she yanks her hand away.

Maria's eyes go wide with realization of what she could've done just then. She remembered from her childhood reading the rules of the Shinigami's Death Note. Of course, she didn't remember all of the rules but she knew that she could've just murdered someone. All it took was a name and a face after all…

"Death Note…" Maria mutters softly to herself. Was this the real thing? It was pretty convincing if it was. "God… is this thing even real"? She studies the book again, and then shook her head. "I doubt it. Like hell I'm going to find out though". She stuffs the book back into her backpack and zips it up tight.

For the rest of the day, Maria stays quiet and secluded at the back of her classes. Half of her was trying to forget about the notebook while the other half wanted to write the names of the people who she hated the most into it. She wouldn't do it even if it was to someone who she hated with a burning passion. Maria just couldn't do this to anyone.

After school, Eddie met her outside next to the parking lot. He usually drove her home after school or they went someone to hang out for a little while.

"It's gotta be a fake…" Maria says to herself as Eddie approached her. She was leaning up against his motorcycle and shaking her head.

"What's a fake"? He asked her. His brow rose as she jumps at the sound of his voice.

"Nothing," She says a bit too quickly. "Nothing at all".

"Hmm…" Eddie shrugs not wanting to pry anything from his best friend. "Alright I'll buy that". He hops onto his bike and motions for her to get on. "Come on, I'll take you home".

Maria gets on the back and wraps her arms around his waist. It may have been a bit uncomfortable with her but it was the safest thing she could do since neither one of them had helmets. Eddie revs up his bike and makes a one eighty degree turn in the parking space before he shoots the two of them out of there like they were riding a rocket.

Taking the short cuts through a few alleyways at high speeds made sure that no cops would be able to clock their speed, and it was the quickest way for Eddie to get Maria home. A sharp left turn into a small suburbia and they were there. Eddie stops in front of a small white house with a black roof.

"That'll be fifty seven dollars for taxi services, miss". He smirks at her as she gets off.

"Just put it on my tab," Maria laughs.

Eddie laughs as well, "Okay. Call you later then"! He shouts as he speeds out of the small neighborhood.

When he's gone, Maria's face goes from a smile to an immediate look of distress. The school day may be over but she was still stuck with this book that may or may not be real.

When she opens the door to the house, the Death Note is still the only thing racing its way throughout her mind. She tries to forget it but couldn't, not even when she was watching her favorite TV shows. It was just so real when something like this shouldn't even exist or at least not in the human world.

Maria's mother didn't notice anything was up with her daughter when she obviously seemed like she was scared half to death, but her brother sure as hell noticed. Tai was her older brother. He was that overprotective brother that could be very annoying but most of the time he was pretty chill. He just shakes his head at their mother and goes to where Maria is in the living room.

"What's eating you"? He asks.

"Nothing's wrong," She mumbles as she slouches in an armchair.

"Yeah there is," He mentions. "You never act this bummed out after school".

Maria rolls her eyes at him, but she knew he'd keep on asking until he got the truth, so she tells him something that would through him off.

"I was thinking about father for most of the day". Maria says, this wasn't a total lie.

His face visually falls upon hearing this. "I see…"

"You know how it is whenever I think about him," She explains. "I end up being bummed like this, Tai".

He nods in understanding and walks over to her. "Just don't go and get all depressed about him again, okay"?

"I do not get depressed"! She says huffily.

"I know," He laughs and tries to kiss my forehead. "You're just my little, grumpy sister"!

"Argh"! She grumbles and swats him away with her hand. "Tai, don't"!

He just laughs and walks back into the kitchen, "Silly," He mocks me.

"Fool," Maria sticks her tongue out at him when his back is turned.

_Death Note…_

The thought comes back into her mind. Shaking her head, Maria sighs and turns the TV off before making her way up the stairs and to her room. She locks the door and throws her backpack on the bed with the notebook still inside.

"Some comics should get this freakin' thing out of my mind".

She walks over to a bookshelf on the far side of the room and scans over her comic books. She had a bunch to choose from- _Batman, Spiderman, Green Lantern, Venom, Dr. Strange, and Hellboy. Hellboy_ was one of her favorites. Maria spent the rest of the night reading comic books and then putting them back into order when she was done reading them.

Most nights she would normally go to bed by eleven, but her mother just forgot about her, and she didn't notice when it was past midnight. Then Tai saw the light in her room and came up. Maria unlocked the door after he knocked on it twenty thousand times. He pretended to be nag on her about not getting enough sleep and it's a school night but he couldn't get that smile off of his face when he lectured her. He never really minded that I stayed up late.

"You". He says. "Bed. Now. Or I'll never be able to wake you up in the morning".

"Just a minute, Tai," Maria tells him. "I've got to put away the rest of my comics and brush my teeth".

"Alright," He nods. "But make it quick would ya"? He shuts the door and she hears him walk back down to his room.

Maria stuck the comics into their own little box, thought about the Death Note, and put them back onto their shelf. She scrambles into her pajamas and went to brush her teeth. She took her time, brushing carefully, thinking about the Death Note, and it was almost twelve thirty when she got into bed.

She lies back, frowning. Maria feels completely exhausted and realizes that she'll hardly get any sleep tonight. After tossing and turning for an entire hour, she gives up and goes to her backpack. She unzips the bag and pulls out the notebook.

"God," Maria says as she glares at its black cover. "This thing should've chosen a person who'd actually kill someone and not be my burden. Course, then everyone would die thanks to that one person and- Argh! I don't just want to give this thing away or throw it in the trash for someone to possibly pick up! Dammit! What 1-800 number do I call to get advice on this fuckin' thing"? She sarcastically remarks and doesn't expect a reply.

"_Hyuk, hyuk, hyuk…"_

Maria's eyes go wide. "This is a dream. I am dreaming. I will wake up at school before this all started and be fine. There are no voices in my room other than my own voice".

"_Keep on telling yourself that, Maria"._

She looks to her side and sees a Shinigami lounging on his side next to her body. She blinks and watches as he blinks right back at her.

"_Damn it all…" _Maria thinks to herself. _"This isn't a dream after all..."_

Finally accepting that today actually happened, Maria then proceeds to do what any rational person would do in this type of situation. She freaks out and takes the Death Note and starts hitting it upside the Shinigami's head.

* * *

**Cause this is what any rational person would do, right? Maybe, maybe not.**

**Until the third chapter then, good people.**


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